How do you control cooks on your kettle?

[E.KS]

Here's one disclaimer: If this has been discussed elsewhere anyone is welcome to direct me to that thread. I love my Weber Kettles (I have 2 22s and a 26). And I typically use them two ways: When I smoke something I build a snake. When I grill I typically setup 2/3 of the grill with coals and 1/3 as an indirect / finishing cook area. I get along fine with it and have never put much thought or math into how I build my fire for grilling. If things are going too fast I close the lid. If I need a sear on the outside I open the lid and let the coals take off.
In a grilling scenario I usually have both the top and bottom dampers wide open. I get along fine except for rare occasions when I'm cooking for a crowd and have coals under the whole area. I've been caught a couple times with a screaming hot fire that is hard to control because I can't leave the lid closed long enough to reign the coals in and I don't have an indirect zone when everything is loaded up completely. From a technical standpoint I admit I just fly by the seat of the pants and work with however the fire happens to burn on that particular cook.

Here's my question: Is this a typical approach to grilling? Do some of you have an exact method you use to build a 350 degree temp and something else if you want 450 degrees? If some of you have methods for working toward a particular temp I'd love to hear from you.

[bbqking01]

I personally haven't ever paid much attention to exact temps. I use charcoal on my kettles. I usually go by charcoal/briquette count. And time. I do have a pellet now and pay more attention to temps, on the pellet grill. To me trying to get an exact temp on a kettle is kind of a mute point, with having to open lid to turn or adjust, or add or take away. Just imo. I also generally have both vents wide open top and bottom. A wsm is different, and I'm learning it now. Just got one a few months ago. You can control temps easier, with vents. All in all, everyone probably does what works best for them. There is a plethora of opinions and advice online for all of this. Also good old fashion trial and error works too,


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[HoosierKettle]

E.ks I do very similar arrangements for grilling and smoking to what you describe. I'll play with the bottom vent to achieve mid 300 range when needed. I'll also bank all the coal to one side for hot and fast indirect.

The 26 settles in at a lower temp with all vents open as opposed to the 22 so it's important to keep that in mind. I frequently will cook with the lid cracked in the 26 to increase airflow and temp when needed.


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[DougWilsonsSlapper]

I'm thinking about adding the compact chimney starter, on top of my full-size Rapidfire, for grilling/searing.  I've been doing forward-sear (sear and move, whatever you want to call it) steaks and burgers, etc., for 7-9 people lately.  I've also been grilling asparagus and corn on the same cooks.

The one regular chimney still only contains enough coal/briquette as would go on a 22.  One layer of coal spread out over 1/2 or 2/3 of the grill doesn't seem to do the trick, especially on a 26, and the char baskets are still a small footprint (and I prefer the couple of rows of charcoal/briquettes for the heat), and banking the coals for sear (without char baskets) on a 26 just seems to make the searing area heat very uneven. 

So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to add a little more fully lit charcoal at the beginning for these quick hot cooks.

If anyone has other ideas, I'd love to know.

E.ks I do very similar arrangements for grilling and smoking to what you describe. I'll play with the bottom vent to achieve mid 300 range when needed. I'll also bank all the coal to one side for hot and fast indirect.

The 26 settles in at a lower temp with all vents open as opposed to the 22 so it's important to keep that in mind. I frequently will cook with the lid cracked in the 26 to increase airflow and temp when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[DougWilsonsSlapper]

Well, I guess @HoosierKettle would say to use a cracked lid, too.

I'm thinking about adding the compact chimney starter, on top of my full-size Rapidfire, for grilling/searing.  I've been doing forward-sear (sear and move, whatever you want to call it) steaks and burgers, etc., for 7-9 people lately.  I've also been grilling asparagus and corn on the same cooks.

The one regular chimney still only contains enough coal/briquette as would go on a 22.  One layer of coal spread out over 1/2 or 2/3 of the grill doesn't seem to do the trick, especially on a 26, and the char baskets are still a small footprint (and I prefer the couple of rows of charcoal/briquettes for the heat), and banking the coals for sear (without char baskets) on a 26 just seems to make the searing area heat very uneven. 

So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to add a little more fully lit charcoal at the beginning for these quick hot cooks.

If anyone has other ideas, I'd love to know.

E.ks I do very similar arrangements for grilling and smoking to what you describe. I'll play with the bottom vent to achieve mid 300 range when needed. I'll also bank all the coal to one side for hot and fast indirect.

The 26 settles in at a lower temp with all vents open as opposed to the 22 so it's important to keep that in mind. I frequently will cook with the lid cracked in the 26 to increase airflow and temp when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[HoosierKettle]

Well, I guess @HoosierKettle would say to use a cracked lid, too.

I'm thinking about adding the compact chimney starter, on top of my full-size Rapidfire, for grilling/searing.  I've been doing forward-sear (sear and move, whatever you want to call it) steaks and burgers, etc., for 7-9 people lately.  I've also been grilling asparagus and corn on the same cooks.

The one regular chimney still only contains enough coal/briquette as would go on a 22.  One layer of coal spread out over 1/2 or 2/3 of the grill doesn't seem to do the trick, especially on a 26, and the char baskets are still a small footprint (and I prefer the couple of rows of charcoal/briquettes for the heat), and banking the coals for sear (without char baskets) on a 26 just seems to make the searing area heat very uneven. 

So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to add a little more fully lit charcoal at the beginning for these quick hot cooks.

If anyone has other ideas, I'd love to know.

E.ks I do very similar arrangements for grilling and smoking to what you describe. I'll play with the bottom vent to achieve mid 300 range when needed. I'll also bank all the coal to one side for hot and fast indirect.

The 26 settles in at a lower temp with all vents open as opposed to the 22 so it's important to keep that in mind. I frequently will cook with the lid cracked in the 26 to increase airflow and temp when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

You just have to play around with it. You can dump a full chimney and add unlit for the desired amount and mix the lit coal throughout. No need for an additional chimney. It catches pretty quick. And yes crack the lid when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[DougWilsonsSlapper]

It's just more when I want to do 6+ steaks, or 9 burgers, etc., at once. I will keep playing of course. I'm kinda obsessed.

Some noob questions, if you don't mind:

- does a little smoke come out of the sides between the bowl and lid sometimes?  See attached. Is that normal?  I noticed this when cooking burgers.

- for longer direct heat cooks (1 hour plus), do you keep a second chimney or half chimney lit to add later in the cook?   Trying to figure out how to cook in stages where I'm doing a bunch of meat and then veggies etc. 

Thank you!

Well, I guess @HoosierKettle would say to use a cracked lid, too.

I'm thinking about adding the compact chimney starter, on top of my full-size Rapidfire, for grilling/searing.  I've been doing forward-sear (sear and move, whatever you want to call it) steaks and burgers, etc., for 7-9 people lately.  I've also been grilling asparagus and corn on the same cooks.

The one regular chimney still only contains enough coal/briquette as would go on a 22.  One layer of coal spread out over 1/2 or 2/3 of the grill doesn't seem to do the trick, especially on a 26, and the char baskets are still a small footprint (and I prefer the couple of rows of charcoal/briquettes for the heat), and banking the coals for sear (without char baskets) on a 26 just seems to make the searing area heat very uneven. 

So, the only conclusion I can come up with is to add a little more fully lit charcoal at the beginning for these quick hot cooks.

If anyone has other ideas, I'd love to know.

E.ks I do very similar arrangements for grilling and smoking to what you describe. I'll play with the bottom vent to achieve mid 300 range when needed. I'll also bank all the coal to one side for hot and fast indirect.

The 26 settles in at a lower temp with all vents open as opposed to the 22 so it's important to keep that in mind. I frequently will cook with the lid cracked in the 26 to increase airflow and temp when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

You just have to play around with it. You can dump a full chimney and add unlit for the desired amount and mix the lit coal throughout. No need do an additional chimney. It catches pretty quick. And yes crack the lid when needed.


Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Weber Kettle Club mobile app